>> this is "bbc world news." funding for this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. and union bank. >> union bank has put its global expertise to work for a wide range of companies. what can we do for you? >> and now, "bbc world news."

>> colonel gaddafi says all libyans love him. he is adamant he will not step down. >> the people love me. all of my people love me, all. >> troubles protect their territory after the libyan armed forces destroyed a unit. desperate to get out of libya, migrants sleep at the tunisian border. welcome to "bbc world news." coming up, one week on, new zealand pays tribute to the victims of the christ church earthquake with two minutes of silence. >> ♪ will all leave the town in ruins ♪

>> screen siren jane russell has died. he may be under intense international pressure to step down, but in an exclusive interview, libyas embattled leader came out fighting. he insisted the people loved him and that outside forces from al qaeda or in setting the protest. the u.s. ambassador to the un branded the performance as "delusional." we spoke to the man at the center of libya's unfolding crisis. >> it was colonel gaddafi's first interview for western journalists since the crisis started. he agreed to see the bbc, abc news from the united states, and "the sunday times."

the interview was held in a restaurant overlooking tripoli port. he said the u.n. sanctions against libya was illegitimate. he was asked if he would ever leave the country. >> [laughter] as if anyone would leave their homeland. >> you are known as the leader here. you have been the leader for many years. there are plenty of people in this country who would say the biggest obstacle to change for them and for libya is you. he said his presence actually instigated change for the people. mr gaddafi has no official title as leader. in recent years, you have had a rapprochement with western countries. you have had leaders like tony blair come here. but now leaders are queuing up to say you should go. do you feel a sense of the trail

about that? -- of the trail about that. >> of course it is a trail. they have no motives. what do a step down from? i am not a monarch or king. >> you make speeches with the un and are identified with libya even if you do not have a formal title. >> it is honorary, nothing to do with exercising power or authority. in britain, who has the power? is it queen elizabeth r. david cameron? >> if he said we did not understand the libyan system. i understand the situation you have, but you are regarded as the leader. >> do not say, "i understand." you do not understand the system here. the authority of the people -- you do not understand it. >> how do the people shall their authority? some have gone on to the streets

to protest and say you're people who shot of them. -- your people shot at them. did you see them as solutions? i saw some today. i saw demonstrators yesterday. >> that are supporting me. >> that are not supporting you. some are against you and some are for you. >> they love me. all my people love me, all. they will die to protect me, my people. >> if they do love you, what are the capturing benghazi? it is -- >> it is al qaeda, not my country. >> that are putting up the flag

of the king? >> al qaeda went into military bases and seized arms and are terrorizing the people. the people who had the weapons are youngsters. they are starting to lay down their weapons as the drugs al qaeda gave them wear off. >> what about david cameron? he has listed the immunity of your family and frozen assets in london. your son went to school there and has a house there. what would you say to david cameron? >> if he has frozen assets, it is up to the libyan state to do with it. i challenge him that if he can find 1 million dinars, i will take half and he can keep half. >> then, mr. duffy said britain's interests would be jeopardized. would you stop doing interest with britain? >> the libyan state would make

the decision. i am challenging him to show me the bank account in britain. i do not like money. i challenge them and put my fingers in their eyes, if they can find any account, whether inside or outside. >> colonel gaddafi, how you and this crisis? a large part of the country is under control of rebels. there is a great deal of foreign pressure. what about the fact that you have lost control of a lot of the country? >> we are concerned about our people, and my people are with me. we shall remain, and they will fall. >> and off he went, always called the leader by libyans, but he says he cannot resign as he has no official position. bbc news, tripoli.

>> and reviewers outside the u.k. will be able to see more of that exclusive interview in a special program starting on tuesday morning. i spoke to our correspondent, who give us the latest on how the united states is reacting to the crisis in libya. >> there is a clear and unambiguous call for regime change from washington. this is different from egypt, different from tunisia. in the case of colonel gaddafi, everyone in the government is saying he must go now. he has, in the words of the white house, 0 legitimacy. they are questioning his state of mind. you heard comments by the american ambassador to the un, susan right 0-- wright.

he denied bombing the protesters and said the people loved him. he left and the interviewer put to him that he should or might step down. does interview comments were put to embassador susan rice at a news conference. >> it sounds delusional. when he can laugh in talking to american and international journalists while he is slaughtering his own people, it only underscores how unfit he is to lead and how disconnected he is from reality. it makes even more important the urgent steps we have taken over the course of the last week on a national basis, as well as the steps we have taken collectively through the united nations and the security council. >> susan rice there. she also went on to talk about the u.s. response to libya being akin to those of other international leaders, in the

sense of a travel ban, sanctions, freezing of gaddafi assets, just short of a no-fly zone decision. "americans are actively and seriously considering a no-fly zone. there are questions being asked behind-the-scenes, like who would be responsible for patrolling the no sign -- the no-fly zone, and if there were a case of libyan warplanes, would they be shot down. those are the kind of questions americans are talking about, stopping short of saying openly they are planning military action. we know two american warships have been repositioned around libya in the mediterranean and in the red sea, but the americans say that may be used for humanitarian action. nothing is off the table, is the official line from washington. they are also saying it would be premature to speculate about

military action at this stage. >> steve kingston speaking to me earlier. on libyas borders, there is chaos. the un estimates 100,000 people have fled into tunisia, putting up tents there. it is already a humanitarian emergency, and they are appealing for international intervention. we report from a border crossing point. >> that are desperate to escape from libya, from its bloodshed and its horror. in no-man's land at the border, they wait in thousands to cross into tunisia. most of these people are not libyans, but migrants who have been working there, egyptians, two nations, turks, chinese, bangladeshis, and many other nationalities. tempers fray. some have traveled four days to get to this border crossing. they are tired, scared, hungry,

and thursday. [weeping] we have been monitoring this border crossing all day, and it is completely chaotic. there are perhaps 15,000 to 20,000 people back there right now, still desperate to get out of libya and into tunisia. the authorities are overwhelmed and pleading for help from the international community. once they are in tunisia, they get some food and water supplied by local volunteers, but many of them stranded here. the egyptians in particular. they have been protesting in their thousands against their government. it has failed to get them home. this evening, many are sleeping

rough on the border, bedding down as best they can for the night, shivering as temperatures plummet. the cannot go back to libya. they cannot go home. they cannot find shelter. ben brown, bbc news, on the libya-tunisian border. >> protesters have taken to the streets in oman for a third day, calling for jobs and political reform. they said a supermarket in fire in the main industrial center. police shot dead at least one demonstrator. in yemen, and hundreds of female activists and students joined in the university. for several weeks, protesters have taken to the streets, demanding resignation of their president. the money and assets of former president mubarak and his family have been frozen as

complaints about their wealth and how it was acquired are being investigated. you are watching "bbc news." screen siren jane russell, who began her acting career in hollywood in the 1940's has died. more than 5000 people have been left homeless by the landslides that struck parts of the bolivian capital sunday. officials say 400 homes were destroyed. >> two days since the landslide that swept away the area, and still deserted properties are collapsing. infrastructure has been totally destroyed. the roads now lead nowhere, and everywhere those who remain have lost almost everything.

one has lived here for years to her family, selling rice and cookies from a small kiosk. like everything else here, that is now in ruins. >> the entire area has disappeared. so many people have only the shirts left on their back. i had a small business. it was my whole life. it allowed me to send my daughter to school, to pay for transport. now do not have it. >> the authorities say this is the worst disaster ever to have hit the city. most people were able to evacuate before the landslide struck, but although no one was killed, almost everyone here has been left homeless. the damage is so bad that bolivia's president has come to see it for himself. the lack of shelter has caused anger among some people. >> i told the housing minister to find some vacant lots nearby

so we could build some houses there, because once you have a roof over your heads we can all move forward. >> housing these people in the long term is therefore the ambition, but for now, their main concern is simply finding the next meal. bbc news. >> you are watching bbc news. the libyan leader has told the bbc the people of libya love him and outside forces from al qaeda were inciting protests. desperate to get out of the country, tens of thousands sleep on the streets of the border with to asia. ---- tunisia. it is clearly the debt is still in a state of violent unrest. colonel gaddafi destroyed an arms unit in the rebel- controlled area.

john simpson is there, from where he sent this report. >> some of these men are volunteers. some are regular soldiers who have abandoned colonel gaddafi for the resolution. all of them are in a high state of excitement. a short time before, and airforce plane came over and dropped bombs on the northern and southern outskirts of the town. the explosions seemed suspiciously far away from any major target, but people immediately started theorizing that the pilot has deliberately avoided casualties and is planning to defect. last week, another pilot ejected and let his plane crash rather than bomb the area. but the town's defenders are in a high state of tension, and the blastoff at random into the sky,

in case there is another air raid. they are not doing this for the benefit of our camera, as they prepare themselves for the possibility of action. they are jumpy but very nervous. few of them have any military experience. we should not mistake this for a civil war. it is a single series of actions. there are planes bombing people here in order to scare them. this is becoming a front-line area. around the perimeter of the defenses, i found some men had taken up positions just in case pro-gaddafi forces decided to move in from their stronghold some way to the west. it does not seem particularly likely, but it is their way of showing loyalty to the rebellion, and showing off their weaponry. john simpson, bbc news.

>> opposition web sites in iran are suggesting two of the best- known opposition leaders have been jailed. the iranian government is this -- is dismissing the reports. the men have been under house arrest for two weeks. the turmoil in north africa and the middle east has left policymakers struggling with new ways to engage the part of the world shifting at baffling speed. in israel, anxiety is dominant. the country shares a long border with egypt, and until months ago it was considered safe. the fall of mubarak has changed that. >> just inside egypt, a herder is praising his sheath -- his sheep a few moments from the border. there are no minefields or tank battalions, just a watchtower. israel has not had to worry about this border for more than

30 years. but suddenly, israel is worried. mubarak is gone. the stars of david scratched on destroyed police vans shows how the egyptian masses feel about israel. this is what makes many egyptians and great. this is a smuggling, from egypt into the tiny palestinian enclave of gaza. for most of the last four years, gaza has been under siege from israel and egypt. israel's blockade of gossip would be impossible without the egyptian government keeping this border crossing closed. the government of mubarak had been relied upon to do israel's business, keeping from us isolated in gaza -- -- hamas isolated in gaza.

this man had been held for three years without trial. egypt work in coordination with israel, he says. "i was held as a hostage on behalf of israel." with mubarak gone, the egyptian public is demanding egypt release its stranglehold on gossip. the former head of mossad is worried. he says the need to solve the palestinian problem is more urgent than ever. >> once things begin to happen on the ground, the egyptian public will become less seized with the problem of palestine. there will become more concerned with their internal problems. they will see that things are moving in the right direction. we do not have to think about war or confrontation. anger and hatred of israel but ordinary egyptians is nothing new.

but when mubarak was in power, they had no voice, so it did not happen. now it does. bbc news in jerusalem. >> new zealand has held a two- minute silence a week into the devastating christchurch earthquake. the death toll could rise as high as 240. dozens of people are still missing. the cost of the 6.3 magnitude quake is expected to reach $15 billion. our correspondent describes the scene. >> in the center of the city, one of the parts of christ church that bore the brunt of this magnitude 6.3 quake that tore through seven days ago, emergency workers, civic leaders, and the prime minister have gathered to pause to remember the dead and the missing. there were pressures and songs. many wept as they recalled the last seven days. these sober scenes have been

repeated up and down a traumatized country. >> the prime minister promised a major inquiry, saying there were legitimate questions about why some buildings collapsed. >> that is right. the prime minister has been speaking to us here today. he says christ church will be rebuilt, but the devastated central business district would look a lot different than the way it does today. the cost of the disaster is expected to be at least $15 billion. the country has paused to remember the dead and missing, certainly in the center of town. maori indigenous leaders have lead the prayers. they say this is a spiritual way to say goodbye to people who died in this disaster. >> a milestone was reached this weekend. america's last surviving world war one veteran died on sunday

at the age of 110. he enlisted in the army in 1917 at 16 and campaigned for greater recognition of his fellow soldiers. he died of natural causes on sunday at his home in west virginia. hollywood film actress jane russell has died in california at the age of 89. the brunet bombshell became a sex symbol in the 1940's and was one of the most popular stars at the box office. at 90, jane russell met director -- 19, jane russell met director howard hughes, who launched her career. >> you mustn't. you hurt yourself. >> the phrase "mean, moody, and magnificent," was coined for jane russell, in a film which shocked the sensors and to ban it for two years.

she was the protege of howard hughes, the aviator and film producer. he used his special knowledge of engineering to design a special brought for the 19 year- old. >> it was a contraption, and it was not comfortable or rubble of the time. i did not want to do 103 takes on that subject, so i just wore my own drop. i could see what he was trying to do, and i put some kleenex across the seams and the broad. i threw his under the bed and then went out. >> the image belied a woman who led the bible study at the hollywood christian group, and showed real talent, especially when paired with the right leading man. >> i am a gambler myself. >> how high the like to play? >> if i told you, you would not believe me. >> i have been telling friends

to our full figured, you have to try the jane russell brought. >> even when her film career was over, her figure was for fortune. a string of musicals in the 50s added, the two for on-screen persona. jane russell endured as one of hollywood's most popular stars. [applause] >> the hollywood actress jane russell has died at the age of 89. just a reminder of our main story this hour. gaddafi has told the bbc the people of libya love him and outside forces from al qaeda are inciting protests. desperate to get out of the country, tens of thousands of migrants sleep on the streets of the libya-tenacious of border -- libya-tunisia border.

>> hello and welcome. >> see the news unfold, get the top stories from around the globe and click-to-play video reports. go to bbc.com/news to experience the in-depth, expert reporting of "bbc world news" online. >> funding was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. and union bank. >> union bank has put its global expertise to work for a wide range of companies. what can we do for you?

>> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet los angeles.